Johan Aasen

Johan Aasen, Norwegian Giant

John Aasen

Johan Aasen, or John Aasen as he was commonly known, lived from 1890 to 1938. At the time of his adult life, he was reportedly the tallest man in the World. To this date his exact height is not known. News articles recorded him as tall as 8 feet - 9 inches. It is still debated as to how tall he was. It seems most reports would exaggerate his height probably by including his high-heel boots and hat in the measurement. However, at around 8 feet, he was a formidable man. To give you a sense of his size, the standard height of a room in the US today is 8 feet. He would not have been able to wear his hat or shoes and stand up straight in a room this high. Another example of his extraordinary height is that he would probably have been able to "dunk" a basketball into a regulation 10-foot-high basketball hoop ... without jumping.

John Aasen became a well-known celebrity in the 1920's and 30's as a showman. He began his showmanship career traveling with carnivals and sideshows as “The Norwegian Giant.” He made several movies in Hollywood and became known as the "Harold Lloyd Giant". As a sought-after attraction, he became a world traveler making several voyages to Europe, the Orient and Australia.

This web site is dedicated to the collection, presentation and preservation of information on John Aasen and to telling the story of this remarkable man.

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